England 2024/25

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

The Times & The Sunday Times

News and opinion from The Times & The Sunday Times

www.thetimes.co.uk

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

The Times & The Sunday Times

News and opinion from The Times & The Sunday Times

www.thetimes.co.uk

Tempted not to select him tbh. He's still our best LH but his mind just isn't in it, he's all over the place about whether or not he wants to be with England or not. I just don't think we can have a player in the squad whose mind isn't in the right place.

 

[Jimbo]

Tempted not to select him tbh. He's still our best LH but his mind just isn't in it, he's all over the place about whether or not he wants to be with England or not. I just don't think we can have a player in the squad whose mind isn't in the right place.

All the time there are few better options I'd like to see him involved and helping out the youngsters as well, after him saying his past retirement announcements were driven largely by fear of not being selected it gives a completely different complexion. Keeping him around another season or so will do England no harm at all with a view to given youngsters descent game time, with all the retirements having a few of the old guard can only be a good thing.

 

[BPM]

Sleightholme is one of my favorite wingers in the prem. if fit...he MUST be looked at.

Well Tana Umaga was a winger..but became a great centre...i keep hearing that Freeman is playing great..so maybe he might be the same.

MUST why? Is he any better than Murley, Radwan or OHC? Honestly, I don't think so. Sure he's scored a few tries recently, but mostly fairly straightforward finishes any of the above would score, Add in the fact that he's incredibly injury prone and I'm not convinced on him being a must.

Along with Reed and Ibitoye, I'd see him as more of an England A contender.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

"Rugby's Derren Brown"

Jesus ******* H ******* ******* Christ can we please get some decent journalists in rugby again

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

All the time there are few better options I'd like to see him involved and helping out the youngsters as well, after him saying his past retirement announcements were driven largely by fear of not being selected it gives a completely different complexion. Keeping him around another season or so will do England no harm at all with a view to given youngsters descent game time, with all the retirements having a few of the old guard can only be a good thing.

I'd actively get him to mentor Rodd. When Marler first burst on the scene it was his loose play that really caught the eye and he had to work very hard on his scrummaging.

He's long been our best all round LH and anyone worrying about props having to be all singing all dancing just needs to look at the semi. Build the foundations.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

MUST why? Is he any better than Murley, Radwan or OHC? Honestly, I don't think so. Sure he's scored a few tries recently, but mostly fairly straightforward finishes any of the above would score, Add in the fact that he's incredibly injury prone and I'm not convinced on him being a must.

Along with Reed and Ibitoye, I'd see him as more of an England A contender.

On Murley, in a recent club game I was quite impressed how he made ground in heavy traffic, a bit Nowellesque. But of those I'd still give first dibs to the speedster Radwan.

 

[Geordie]

MUST why? Is he any better than Murley, Radwan or OHC? Honestly, I don't think so. Sure he's scored a few tries recently, but mostly fairly straightforward finishes any of the above would score, Add in the fact that he's incredibly injury prone and I'm not convinced on him being a must.

Along with Reed and Ibitoye, I'd see him as more of an England A contender.

Yes because i think he a fast direct powerful try scorer. He is a very god finisher. His big issue is the injuries...but if he can stop those then hes a class winger.

 

[Geordie]

I'd actively get him to mentor Rodd. When Marler first burst on the scene it was his loose play that really caught the eye and he had to work very hard on his scrummaging.

He's long been our best all round LH and anyone worrying about props having to be all singing all dancing just needs to look at the semi. Build the foundations.

i would keep Marler in the squad and starting until Genge can match him scrummaging or until Baxter and Brantingham are ready...

 

[Everyday EggChaser]

Didn't Asher Opoku play mainly at loosehead for the u20s? He put the squeeze on Marler vs Quins at tighthead so I have no idea which is his preferred.

 

[Geordie]

Yeah and marler praised him didnt he. Hes still in development...but if he can come through for Sale at tight head playing like that then its one for the future.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Yeah and marler praised him didnt he. Hes still in development...but if he can come through for Sale at tight head playing like that then its one for the future.

The very distant future. The kid's 19 with involvement in just 2 Prem matches.

A talent for sure, but he's got several rite of passage stuffings to endure before we can properly talk about him in this thread. I suspect he'll get one of those from Marler if they meet again in a remotely competitive match.

EDIT: Opoku and Marler were only on the pitch for 10 minutes together so pretty hard to form anything other than a cursory view in that timeframe.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Neat finish from Arundell about 3 minutes in.

 

[Jimbo]

The very distant future. The kid's 19 with involvement in just 2 Prem matches.

A talent for sure, but he's got several rite of passage stuffings to endure before we can properly talk about him in this thread. I suspect he'll get one of those from Marler if they meet again in a remotely competitive match.

EDIT: Opoku and Marler were only on the pitch for 10 minutes together so pretty hard to form anything other than a cursory view in that timeframe.

For context if I recall Marler started and the game was in the last quarter, Opoku was obviously a lot fresher, still very impressive but worth noting.

 

[Geordie]

The very distant future. The kid's 19 with involvement in just 2 Prem matches.

A talent for sure, but he's got several rite of passage stuffings to endure before we can properly talk about him in this thread. I suspect he'll get one of those from Marler if they meet again in a remotely competitive match.

EDIT: Opoku and Marler were only on the pitch for 10 minutes together so pretty hard to form anything other than a cursory view in that timeframe.

Well yes but when there's been so little on the horizon with regards to tight heads, that to suddenly have a few glimmers of hope for down rhe line...is a nice feeling..and of course hope that Mr Baxter could be doing a job with Painter aswell...?

 

[Geordie]

Back to Saints...apparently their backs have been put on a development programme and have been stacking the muscle on. Dingwall etc..and I think Furbank looks like he's bulked up a bit. He's been playing very well aswel...and had Esterhuizen in control defensively...

Would you have Furbank back in the squad? And in what role?

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Would you have Furbank back in the squad?

Just threw up in my mouth

 

[Jimbo]

Well yes but when there's been so little on the horizon with regards to tight heads, that to suddenly have a few glimmers of hope for down rhe line...is a nice feeling..and of course hope that Mr Baxter could be doing a job with Painter aswell...?

Hopefully the mindset of the England camp is positive now the world cups gone and wasn't terrible, I'd like to see a lot of youngsters integrated and to some extend don't mind if the results in the 6 nations and AIs don't go our way, as long as there is a clear plan and selections whilst we won't all agree on each one are sensible and just some of the opportunities are taken and capitalised on rather than negative rugby, which isn't even delivering the results, two 6 nations cycles max for this I don't believe in every thing being sacralised for a WC. England now need a genuine rebuild which despite media and coaching dribble for the last 18 months has been utter ******** they were rebuilding very little as there was very little in the way of personnel changes.

 

[Geordie]

When is the squad announced?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Mid January (last two have been 16/17th of January)